All language subtitles for The Pallisers 10

- Well, then, Captain Colepepper.
- Well, what, sir?

Your man Chiltern is the challenger.
Does he still want this meeting to go on?

He does, sir, unless your man Finn will swear

to steer clear of Miss Violet Effingham
from now on.

My man Finn won't swear to nothing,
Captain Colepepper.

Why should he throw a thing over
just because your man Chiltern can't have it?

Then let's bring them up and get it over.

When I drop my arm,
turn back to back and walk ten paces.

One...two...three...

four...five...six..

Seven...eight...nine...ten.

Turn, please, gentlemen.

You may take aim.

Mr Fitzgibbon will drop his handkerchief
when I give the word.

You may fire as soon as it touches the ground.

Fitzgibbon,

if you please, sir.

There, old fellow. How does it feel?

I feel as though my arm has been shot off.

My man Chiltern says

that if Mr Finn will now withdraw
in respect of the young lady,

Lord Chiltern will be happy
to take him by the hand.

What do you say, Phinny?

You know me better than that, my Lord.

There.

There you are.

Captain Colepepper.

You will instruct Mr Fitzgibbon to inform Mr Finn

that we are still enemies.

For God's sake get that ball out of his shoulder,

or he'll never be fit to fight me again.

Try not to bleed on the coat, old chap.

Suddenly he burst forth

as a member of parliament

and the friend of cabinet ministers

and, more particularly,

of their wives.

There is a strong smell

of the boudoir about Mr Finn.

Does this perhaps account

for his heady promotion?

Be this as it may,

we should now like to know

where he has been during
his late mysterious absence from the House,

and in what way
he came by the wound in his arm.

Oh, dear. Well, it's certainly true
that his absence was noticed.

Yes, and now he's back with his arm in a sling.
Well, Barrington, the less said the better.

Oh, dear. There's been
enough said already, Lady Glen.

Well, one thing we must do
is keep it from Mr Palliser.

If he finds out,
Mr Finn will certainly walk the plank.

Have you seen this, Lady Glen,
about our romantic friend Phineas Finn?

- We've seen.
- Dolly, Dolly.

It's a pity it had to get into the newspapers.

People are so righteous
about this sort of thing nowadays.

Well, the newspapers are only guessing.

For Finn's sake and for the party's sake,
let's hope they don'! find any proof.

This was not clever of Finn.

Quite apart from anything else,
we might have needed him to vote.

It's not only the newspapers that will be asking
awkward questions now he's back.

I wonder what story
Mr Finn himself is going to be putting out.

I think we're about to find out.

The honorable Laurence Fitzgibbon.

Mr Phineas Finn.

Mr Finn and Mr Filzgibbon.

Where have you both been
these last few days, hm?

Down in Kent, Lady Glen, for the shooting.

And was the shooting good down in Kent?

Nothing very special, Lady Glen, but...

the rough shooting was quite exciting.

Particularly near the beach.

Seabirds, Laurence?

Birds of passage. Dollie.

Barrington was most upset with you.

He said your votes might have been needed.

I am sorry, old fellow.

We would have been back before
only poor Phinny,

he put his soulder out and had to lie up.

In a farm.

Yes, in a farmhouse.

The farmer's wife
had two devilish pretty daughters.

They kept feeding Phinny hot milk.

No sooner had one left the room with an empty
glass, the other came in with a full one.

Then the farmer's wife
would come in with a third lot

Poor old Phinny was so full of hot milk,
I thought he was going to bust all over the place.

Longslaffe, Erie, Fitzgibbon, Finn.

Oh, Planty, come and join us.

- What's this I see?
- The result of sheer tornfoolery, that's what.

I beg your pardon?

Barrington is referring
to Mr Finn's sporting activities.

They are grown altogether too perilous

Mr Finn has hurt his arm in Kent
while shooting with Mr Fitzgibbon.

An accident? What did you do,
wound yourself with your own gun?

I'm not that perilous, Mr Palliser.

Phinny fell while climbing over a stile.
Wasn't that it, Laurence?

Er, no, not quite, Dolly. No, it was a gate.

He was climbing over a gate
and a bull charged him from the other side.

An Aberdeen Angus or a Chiltern Red?

Well, what does it matter what sort of bull it was?

Poor Mr Finn, at least you're back
safe from Kent.

Yes, we're going to need your help, Finn.

I always think bills are safer than bulls

Mr Finn, how good to see you afler all this time.

Welcome back to London, Lady Laura.
I hope this means Lord Brentford is now better.

He was stronger when I left him,
but what have you done to your arm?

Slight accident in Kent.

Oh.

Lady Laura, some time ago you asked me to...
stay away from you,

but may I take it from your letter
that I may now come to you as often as I wish?

What difference can it make?

I am miserable when you're away from me
because you are so much to me

and I am miserable when you're with me
because you can be nothing to me.

Do you know, Mr Kennedy
didn't even want me to come to London?

- And yet you are here.
- At the moment he's in no position to dictate to me.

My father has just paid him my dowry.

- Chiltern's doing?
- Yes.

He agreed to waive some of his fights as heir
and to let my father sell certain properties.

And so at great sacrifice,

the money has been raised.

Then let us hope
that Mr Kennedy will be grateful.

- What are the prospects for the new reform bill?
- Laura.

I want your help.

Well, what is it?

I love Violet Effingham.

Will you help me to win her for my wife?

Have you not always known
what our hopes have been for Violet?

I have also known from Lord Chiltern's own lips
that Violet has refused him.

Violet has known Oswald
since they were both children.

- She loved him then.
- Chiltern has changed.

It is my belief, my certainty,
that despite everything

she loves him still, if she'd only admit it.

She has had plenty of opportunity to di it.

Whatever you say, Laura,
she has refused him often and firmly.

Then he must go on asking.
He shall go on asking.

As for you, Mr Finn, that you should come to me
for assistance with Violet...

Then you will not help me?

How should I help you?

I merely wanted an opportunity
of meeting Violet here

and that you should tell her beforehand
that we have your blessing.

Violet is staying at Lady Baldock's.
Go there and do your own telling.

Lady Baldock would never accept me
as a suitor for her niece.

It's for her niece to accept you,

not for Lady Baldock or for me.

Tell me, Mr Finn, why do you involve me?

I came to you as I would come to a sister.

I already have a brother.

He needs Violet and what she'll bring him
more than ever before.

- My right is as good as his.
- Right?

The right of a fair field and no favour.

Yet you come to me for favour
because you can't win her yourself.

Of course you realise
that I must now tell my brother all you've told me.

I have already told him myself.

How did he take it?

Lord Chiltern required
that I should either give up my suit for Violet

Of...

- Or fight him.
- Yes.

In Belgium.

So this was your accident in Kent?

I did go into Kent to get the boat for Belgium.

The petty futile lies men use.

Suppose you'd killed him,
would it still have been an accident in Kent?

It would have been a misfortune so horrible
that I was bound to prevent it.

So Oswald...was never in danger?

- Does he know this?
- I think not

But at least you parted as friends?

We did not part as friends.

I stood my ground
and I refused to give up Miss Effingham.

But, Laura, I would not prevent him
as he would prevent me.

If he needs Violet as much as you say he does,
let him come and try.

But if he doesn't come or if he fails,
then will you not speak to Violet for me?

I will speak to Violet.

For Oswald.

For Gods sake, Phineas, go. I'm hardly well.

Laura!
Please go!

Laura?

What is wrong?

Very much is wrong but you can't help me.

Which means that you have secrets
in which I may not share?

All women have secrets
which they share only with God.

But you're so close to God, Robert.

If you want to know my secret,
go to him and ask.

Lady Baldock, Violet,
I'm so glad that you could come.

It is nice to see aunt and niece sticking together.

But you mustn't devote all your evening
to Lady Baldock, Violet.

Nor will she, Lady Glencora,

but don't encourage her to desert me.

She'll forget her manners
soon enough without that.

- I only meant that you see each other at home.
- Not all that much.

She sulks in her room half the time,
reading French novels, I wonder.

I don't know what girls are coming to.

Much the same as you came to, Aunt.

Marriage and then old age, I suppose.

I don't need you to tell me that I'm old, miss.

And as for marriage, well...

in my day we never mentioned it in public.

But you thought about it, Lady Baldock?

No more than I could help.

I just put up with it when it came.
It's about all you can do with marriage.

You don't paint a very romantic picture, Aunt.

Nor would you
if you'd been married to your uncle.

You'll find out all about it for yourself.

You're not against marriage,
are you, Lady Baldock?

One can't be against it
because everybody does it.

Violet will have to it like the rest.

It'll be bad, of course,

especially as the men can smell her money.

But I'm going to see to it
that she don't do any worse than she has to.

You never can tell, Aunt.
I might just do a little better.

They tell me, Mr Finn,

that you and Mr Fitzgibbon have been
away on a sporting holiday together.

Yes, that's right. In Kent.

Lady Glencora thinks, and so do I,

that you give too much time to such activities.

I'm sure Mr Longstaffe will agree.

Up to a certain point, Madame Max.

We did all have a good laugh, you know.

But more than laughs could come of it,
might still come of it.

Mr Finn is not here
entirely to amuse you, Mr Longstaffe.

He cannot afford to be
idle and frivolous as you are.

Oh, I have my uses, Madame Max

And so you do, Mr Longslaffe.

Tell me, who is that gentleman
over there with Lady Laura Kennedy?

Oh, that's Lord Fawn.

He lives in Richmond
vlith his vidowed mother and 11 sisters

and ls a loyal supporter of the Liberal party.

- Any particular talents?
- None other than those you can see.

He don't hide any lights under his bushel.

They say that Mother Baldock
wants him for Vi Effingham.

There's no doubt about it, Lady Laura,

in our new Reform Bill
we're making great concessions to the people,

to the populous, you know.

But you're not giving them the ballot?
And rightly not, in my opinion.

Don't forget we'll have to deal with Mr Turnbull.

- Mr Tumbull...
- We're giving all we possibly can.

Lady Laura.

We're getting rid of rotten boroughs
by the dozen.

Y, I fear my faihefs
borough of Bremford will go.

And with 'rt Mr Phineas Finn.

You don'! like Mr Finn, Lord Fawn?

There are some very odd stories about him

and he keeps such curious company.

Like my own.

Oh.

That's all right, of course.

But who is that very foreign sort of woman
he is talking to just now?

That's Madame Max Goesler.

She is a weatthy adventures
with an especial talent

for preying on the weaknesses of your sex.

And Lady Glencora has invited her
to come here, under her own roof?

Madame Goesler
is to be found under every roof.

Like a type of parasitic beetle,

she arrives in the woodwork
without one's knowing it

and then cannot be dislodged.

Ah, the intrepid Mr Finn.
And hows your shoulder?

Very much better, thanks.
Should have the sling off in a day or two.

Good. We're going to need your strong arm,

if only figuratively in committee.

Great things are stirring, so I hear.

What would I not give to be
a member of parliament at such a time as this?

Which side would you take, Madame Goesler?

Oh, I should want to vote
for everything that could be voted for.

Ballot, manhood suffrage,
womanhood suffrage,

the right to strike,
the education of every child in the land.

- That's rather a strong programme.
- Not if you believe in equality, like all of us.

You can count me out, dear lady.

I'm sure I can still count on Mr Finn.

And Lady Glen? You remember
what you said at Loughlinter once?

Oh, yes, and I meant it.
But that was theory, Madame Goesler.

Life is very different.

Perhaps 'rt wouldn't be so very different

if only people were prepared
to fight for their theories.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Perhaps we should go to Lady Baldock.

That's my second dose of her this evening.

You will fight for your theories, Mr Finn?

In the past you've always told me
not to have any.

That was my advice to the tyro

but you are experienced enough now
to be your own man,

to take up your own causes.

What will they be, Mr Finn?

You have heard, I think, of Irish Tenant Right.

Yes, a just cause, Mr Finn.

But one that your party is not too keen about.

As Madame Max has just pointed out, Dolly,

I'm my own man now.

Tell me, what is this air of mystery
about Mr Finn?

There's no mystery, Lord Fawn.
lt was a mere accident in Kent.

Lady Laura.

You seem to have been changing
your arm again rather disastrously.

Mr Finn.

- Ah, Miss Effingham.
- Lord Fawn.

And how are your several sisters?

Oh, how kind of you to ask. Well...

I think I'll go and try to be St George for a while.

Yes, well, Clara, you know,
has married Mr Hithaway.

No doubt we shall soon
be having another little Hithaway on the way.

- And Augusta?
- Augusta? Well...

No smile for Phineas Finn?

Not today. He prefers
to be smiled on by Violet Effingham.

In fact he seems to have joined Lady Baldock.

He knows how the land lies.
Violet is staying with Lady Baldock.

Mr Finn is giving a sop to Cerberus.

How the time passes, Lady Baldock.

Very soon 'rt will be spring.

At my age, Mr Palliser,
the seasons make little difference.

Ah, but all seasons, Lady Baldwk,

are kind to evergreens.

Oh.

You... You must not desert us this year, Mr...

- Finn.
- Mr Finn.

My evenings are Tuesday.

I shall certainly not forget that.

Tuesday.

Tuesday.

And finally, of course, there's dear little Mina.

Oh, she's such a sweet child. I say child...

Please excuse me. Lady Baldock,
has Plantagenet been amusing you?

No, but Mr Finn has.

Very personable young man, Mr Finn.

Yes. Of course, we don't know much about him

but personable I agree.

Too personable, some say,
to be allogether good.

They also say he sees
quite a lot of your niece Violet

Do they?

- Do they indeed?
- So they say, Lady Baldock.

What's all this about Kent, Mr Finn?

Lord Fawn is dying to know.

It was just a foolish accident,
Miss Effingham.

If you will go in for
such dangerous sports.

A man must vary his pastimes.
All work and no play, you know.

There's no time for play in our days.
Life is far too serious.

- You're entitled to your opinion.
- Some of us have work to do.

I think, Lord Fawn,
Mr Finn works as hard as most men.

A word with you, if l may,
about our supporters in the Upper House.

I very much fear, Mr Finn,
that Lord Fawn don't like the cut of your jib.

Nor I the look of his.

I must say, he was being very oppressive.

Thank goodness my aunt's
other candidate for my hand isn't here as well.

Mr Appledom. Do you know him?

No, I haven't had that honor.

But, Miss Effingham,
one of the other candidates is here.

I don't think, Mr Finn,
that my aunt would pass you as a candidate.

Your aunt has invited me
to her house, Miss Effingham.

- On Tuesdays?
- On Tuesdays.

Well, on Tuesdays there is always a crush.

Candidates are invited
on other days of the week.

Mr Phineas Finn.

Mr Palliser.

- I'm sorry if I'm a little late.
- Not in the least, Finn.

Lord Brentford.
I hope you are feeling better, my Lord.

I have little enough to make me so
but never mind that new.

Palliser.

Finn, we have news for you.

Mr Mottram, Under-Secretary for the Colonies,
has become a peer on his father's death.

We feel the post should be held
by a Commons man.

- A Commons man, Mr Palliser?
- You, Finn.

Oh, I am very grateful to you both.

You have it on your own merit
and by the Prime Minister's wish.

The post's pay is 2,000 a year, but...

over and above the performance
of your duties, there are certain obligations.

Obligations to the party, Mr Finn.

Yes, yes, of course.

Now that you join the Government, Finn,
you must support the Government.

In all matters whatsoever.

Why should I not?

Why not indeed?

If you'll excuse me, I have a conference.

Would you be kind enough
to see yourselves out?

Tell me, Finn,
have you seen anything of Chiltern lately?

I believe he is in Brussels, my Lord.

In Brussels? His place is here.

To be fair, he has been very helpful
about arranging Lady Laura's money.

Now that Kennedy has the money,
what good is it to him?

Money or no money,
I know Laura's still unhappy with him.

Kennedy will never be
the easiest of husbands, my Lord.

Well, why couldn't she have found that out
before it was too late?

If only Chiltern would marry Violet

I'd forgive him everything.

It's all vexation of spirit.

I'm going to miss you
something fierce, Mr Phineas.

Of course, we'll let the room all right.

Nice young man from the city
came in about it this morning.

I'm very glad to hear that, Mrs Bunoe.

But it just won't be the same when you're gone.

Well, it won't be the same for me, either.

I shall miss being here, really I will, but...

new that I'm an under-secretary,
it is expected of me that I live somewhere...

nearer Westminster Palace.

Somewhere grand
is what you mean, Mr Phineas,

but thanks for trying to spare my feelings.

I understand it, of course.

But Bunce...

he don't.

He thinks you could very well stay here.

Bunce says it's always the same
when a man gets a place in the Government.

He don't want to know his old friends,
gets all high and mighty.

A man would be very foolish
to do that, Mrs Bunce.

Places in the Government, though,
are very hard to come by and very easily lost.

Well, Bunce says a man gets a taste for it,

and once he's had a place he'll go down
on his belly and crawl to keep it,

or get a better.

He's worried for you, Mr Phineas.

He's very fond of you, you know, but...

well, he thinks that you'll be bought off,

bought off from doing what's right.

Well, there are many dangers in taking office
but once a man is offered it, he has to take it.

At least I do. I can't live forever, you know,
on a small allowance from my father.

Robert.

Have you heard about Mr Finn?

He's to be Under-Secretary for the Colonies.

Yes, I heard.

It's a great step for him
to have gained so eafly, isn't it?

I've no doubt he will succeed,

if he will look to himself.

It's astonishing how that story
of the duel with Chiltern has got about.

People believe anything
for the sake of a little excitement.

Yet there must have been some quarrel.

They say 'rt was about Miss Effingham.

I should hardly think
Finn would have any hopes there.

Why?

I thought you had other plans
for Miss Effingham.

That has nothing to do with it.

You spoke of Mr Finn
as if he were unworthy of Violet.

Not so, Robert. Mr Finn is not only a gentleman,
Mr Finn has all...

You will make me sick of the name of Mr Finn.

I am sorry I offend you by my gratitude
to the man who saved your life.

Gratitude?

It is always the same
for women with nothing to do

who cannot be made to understand duties.

They cannot live without some kind of idolatry.

Mr Phineas Finn.

Mr Kennedy.

Mr Finn, I'm so very glad for you.

That's more than Mr Kennedy seems to be.

He's just passed me without a word.

He's preoccupied.

Oh, Phineas, I'm so happy about your success.

- Then you've forgiven me?
- Forgiven you?

The last time we were in this room together
we did not part as friends.

I have had time to think since then.

Phineas, you know what my hopes have been
for my brother and Violet.

Yes-

Rather than deny you, or rather than
have you hate me for denying you,

I'll do what you wish,

because it's you that wishes it.

I will speak to Violet
and arrange thai you may see her by herself.

- Laura...
- But a word of warning.

If you win Violet, you'll lose my father.

I shall do that anyway, I think,
as soon as he hears about the duel.

He's the only man in London who hasn't heard.

No, I think you might make that all right with him.

After all, Oswald was the challenger
and it was you that was wounded.

But if you take Violet from us,
he'll not forgive you.

As to that, I must take my chance.

Very well.

Be in the park tomorrow afternoon about three,
near where the band plays.

I'll bring her to you them.

Phineas Finn this, Phineas Finn that

You're beginning to sound
like his ambassador.

I'm no ambassador.
He's given me no commission.

Then why are you pleading for him?

Because I know, I sense what he wants, Violet.

You. And what he wants,
I wish him to have, all of it.

He is my shining knight.

Then why are you so eager
to pass him onto me?

Can you give me any reason
for not taking him...if once you love him?

- Ah, but do I love him?
- Look at him.

Tell me you don't love him if you dare.

Go to him and tell him what he's waiting to hear.

Oh, Laura!

But Laura, wait!

Miss Effingham!

What a delightful surprise.

How nice to find you, and to find you alone.

Yes, alone. A poor unprotected female.

- You've nothing to fear from me.
- No, I know that.

Then you will trust me, Violet

Yes, I will trust you.

And you will love me too?

I trust you, Mr Finn,

because I know you to be
the kindest man on earth.

And I might have loved you,
only that you do not love me.

I not love you?

But how can you?

You have just caught me in a trap.

A very gentle trap, a net with a web of silk,

but nonetheless a trap.

Have true lovers never used traps before?

Oh, yes, and love has been their bait.

But you have used a decoy, Mr Finn.

You knew Laura would bring me here today.

You have made her your go-between.

Have true lovers never used
go-betweens before?

Well, they should not use
their old mistresses, Mr Finn.

I do not know what has been
between you and Laura,

but l do know
that you once professed to love her.

and that she, a married woman, still loves you.

That you should make
such a one your messenger is... is obscene.

I longed so much for a chance to tell my love.

Have you none to offer me in return?

Any that I might have had has been wiped out.

When I think of you and Laura,

old lovers, perhaps lovers still,

putting your heads together to seduce me...

Yes, that was a little strong.
We must not part on that.

So let me simply wish you better luck
with whomever you try your hand on next.

Now, Mary, we'd better be getting back.
I've got to see Mr Monk.

Bother Mr Monk.

Mary, I'm not in Ireland
just for my pleasure alone, you know.

Mr Monk and I have business to do.

- Bother your business.
- Now, Mary, it's very important.

Can you not think of me
for more than two seconds altogether?

Now, two seconds.

Make no mistake, Phineas,

what we are planning to do will not be
acceptable to the Government at this time.

But surely if we don't ask for too much at first.

Any measure devised to help the Irish tenants,
however moderate,

will not be welcome to this Government.

It will raise awkward questions
about the position of English tenants.

Yes, and we have a responsibility
not to embarass the Government, I suppose.

And a prior duty to help those who need help
far more than any government does.

You once told me
that to succeed in political action,

one should temper one's proposals
to the climate of opinion.

The climate of opinion will be with us
once the true facts are known.

That's what we must first do.

And thus disacommodate the Government,

a Government in which we both serve.

Yes, it'll mean a row.

Not just an argument, but a very nasty row.

Are you afraid of the prospect?

No. No, I think not

- And yet...
- Go on.

We both know,
it's common talk in the House

that the Government
will take up this question sooner or later.

Later unless we keep at them.

But is it worth having a row
and disrupting the party

simply to make the matter
a mere year or two earlier.

To some of these people, a year or two
means the difference between life and death.

Go out, Phineas.

Go out into the villages
and look around you.

You'll see.

Devilish good idea these new dining coach.

It means a fellow don't have to choke it down
in 20 minutes flat on some pokey railway station.

Ah, um...

soup,

fish.

Roast,

wing of devilled chicken,

apple tan,

apple tan,

savoury.

I'll have a look at the Stilton and a full dessert.

And a half bottle of Montrachet '57,

a bottle of Haul Blion '58,

and a decanter of Taylors '37 with the dessert.

What about you, Phinny?

Oh, just soup and fish, thank you.

Well, your visit to old Ireland
ain't done your appetite much good.

What have you been up to, Phinny?

Oh, nothing much.
What have you been up to, Laurence?

Trying to screw a few hundred
out of the governor, but no go.

So, there's an honest answer
to your question. Now...

What about an honest answer to my question?
What have you been up to in Ireland?

I told you, nothing much.

'Nothing much' means skulking round four
of the five baronies in the county with Mr Monk.

You were spotted from the start,
as blatant as two nuns in a bordel.

And why should I not entertain Mr Monk?

Because down our way
Mr Monk means trouble.

What was he doing in Ireland at all, at all?

Well, what?

He is interested in the condition
of small farmers and tenant holders

and their relations with the landlords.

Meaning he wants to stir up trouble.

You too, Phineas.

The party will be going into all this.

Oh, no, not for some while yet the party wont,
and the longer the better.

My family, and families like it, have been
running their lands and their tenants...

for some 200 years.

We don't need the party to start interfering

and still less do we need you and Mr Monk.

Now, answer me plain.
Are you going to help him stir up bother?

I certainly think that something could and should
be done about the condition of smallholders.

Like what?

Like allowing them to have the benefit
of improvements they make to their holdings.

What would you know about it?

I don't think that your family
has had much experience of tenants.

I don't think that...

Dr Finn is in that line of country at all.

What would you know
about tenants' holdings?

It's a matter of common sense.

If a tenant makes improvements, he should not
be cheated of them by some greedy landlord.

- Oh, and who says we cheat them?
- Tenants all over Ireland.

When did ever you hear
an Irishman tell the truth?

I've certainly known you to be less than frank
on certain occasions, Laurence,

but that doesn't mean
that all our countrymen are liars.

Oh.

Well, now, you listen here, Phinny.

You never heard of an Irishman yet
who wouldn't tell lies if he stood to profit by it.

To be sure, I've done my share of fibbing,
but well...take yourself as well.

Your whole life is a fib, Phinny boy.

You, the son of the local apothecary,

that's now swaggering around in London
as if he was descended from the Kings of Kerry.

That little Catholic boy from Killaloe

that learned your letters off fat Father O'Cochrin,

and are now squiring the ladies
of the Abbey and St Paul's of a Sunday

and sitting there...

Yes-

...sitting there as smug and as pink
as any Protestant of them all.

You, that was sweetheart to Mary Flood
ever since you was put in breeches,

are now sniffing every woman in Mayfair
who's got a few pounds in her purse.

And now, on top of all of this,

you, whose father's estate is barely big enough
to accommodate an outside privy,

you are now laying down the law on the duties
of landlords and the rights of tenants.

I merely wish to see justice done.

Oh, yes? Well, why don't you start
in your own back yard

by keeping your hot hands off little Mary Flood,
unless you mean to marry her,

and your hot eyes off Madame Goesler's gold,

unless you intend to give
her proper value in return for it.

Goodbye, Laurence.

Bye-bye, Phinny-

Hm. Now, this is the final list, is it?

- Yes, and it will produce a few long faces.
- Hm.

- Mr Phineas Finn.
- Ah. Ah, welcome to Matching, Finn.

It's good to be back, Mr Palliser.

- Hello, Barlingion.
- Finn.

Didn't see you at the station.

I promised Planty I'd come ahead
to discuss one or two points.

Yes, there's something
I feel we should tell you at once.

I'm sorry to spoil your arrival.

It's been finally agreed
which boroughs will go at the new Reform Bill.

Bremford will certainly be one.

You may sit through until the general election.

And then no more Brentford, hm?

When is the election to be?

It's sooner than we wished.

This new Reform Bill, it's going to be attacked.

Violently, both by Turnbull and the Tories.

Oh, we shall get it through,

but it's going to cause a lot of dissatisfaction
and seriously weaken our hold.

And so, soon afterwards, we shall dissolve.

And so, bye-bye to my colonies, hm?

Oh, well, they may still be yours if we get back.

- And also bye-bye to my seat, Barrington.
- Oh, there's seats enough to be filled, Finn.

Hands enough to be filled
with golden sovereigns too.

It gives you quite a long time to look around.

It's my belief you won't have to look very far.

Your luck has held very well up to now.

Er, a word with you gentlemen, if l may.

My wife, she's once more
in a somewhat delicate condition.

Hm? Oh.

- Congratulations, Planty.
- And mine.

Thank you, my friends,
but I would be most grateful if you could see to it

she doesn't overtax herself too seriously
while she's in your company.

Well, if you'll excuse me,
I haven't spoken to her since my arrival.

Sorry about Brentford.

Monk.

Ah, welcome, Mr Finn.

Oh, my dear, you do look down.

Well, let's see that Irish smile, hm?

That's better. Well, I promise you
we shall not be dull.

An old friend of yours is coming,
at least he was a friend

and we all hope that he may be again.

Lord Chiltern?
I shall be delighted to see him.

But will he want to see me?

I've asked him here expressly to make it up
with you and I'm relying on you to manage him.

Well, I shall be loo busy
managing the Duke of Omnium.

The Duke of Omnium is coming?

He's unexpectedly honouring our humble house

since some wickedness
that he planned in Italy has fallen through.

Yes, well, I must go to the chef
who is reported not to be sober.

And how are all your colonies, Mr Finn?

Oh, they look very pretty on the map.
At least, they did when I left Downing Street.

Let us hope they don't take advantage
of your absence to rebel.

You will have enough to attend to up here
with the red Lord Chiltern

and the mighty Duke of Omnium.

Is he mighty enough, I wonder,
to have a spare borough in his pocket?

I shall need a borough by and by.

The Duke's only borough is Silverblidge.

Which is firmly held by Mr John Grey.

But surely, my friend, you will be able to find
yoursetf another seat should you need one?

Oh, very likely.

I just wish I had no bothers beyond that

What else is wrong?

Has Miss Effingham been unkind?

No, I was still talking politics, Madame Max.

Ireland. Irish Tenant Right.

Ah, yes, yes, I have heard you mention it before.

If I am correct, the problem
is very much the same as that in Hungary,

of which I heard a great deal
when I was in Vienna last.

The tenant, often a poor peasant
with only a tiny holding,

has to pay as much rent
in a bad year as in the best.

Far too much in any year
but ruinous in a bad year.

But the problem doesn't end there in Ireland.

If an Irish tenant, despite all his difficuities,
manages to make improvements to his farm,

the landlord then increases his rent
to correspond with those improvements.

Even though these have been done
at the tenant's own expense?

Exactly. And it's this abuse that Mr Monk and I
have singled out as a starting point for reform.

I mean, it's robbery, Madame Max, often
of semi-starving people by absentee landlords

who then spend the proceeds in London,
on balls and banquets, if you please.

Of which you and I, Mr Finn,
have been only too happy to eat our share.

Yes, but I hope now
under Mr Monk's leadership to make amends.

So, you two alone are going
to challenge the whole Government?

Mr Monk holds high office.

He will resign it if it is necessary.

They're trying to get him to take a sofler line.

Trying this very moment, I daresay,
but I know the man, Madame Max.

He's determined to march on this issue.

He's not even Irish.

The least I can do is march with him.

I fear he will march you
straight out of Downing Street, Mr Finn.

Very likely, Madame Max

Very likely.

Odd same. croquet.

- They say 'rt stirs the passions.
- Oh, surely not, Duke.

Oh, y.

I knew a lady onoe
who neany brained her opponent with a mallet.

Do you never play croquet, Marie?

I'd like to see you wielding a mallet.

Oh, I am so sorry your Grace cannot be gratified.

I have played the game in the past

but now I've grown tired of it.

But I can show your Grace a sight
worth ten of me and a mallet. Look.

I knew how IL would be, Mr Finn.

There's the Duke, making merry with the widow.

Oh, I am very fond of Madame Max but...

had I known the Duke was coming,
she would not have been asked.

A little distraction, I think.

Run along, darling, and say hello to your
great uncle Omnium and the beautiful lady.

Off you go.

- Er, Mr Finn?
- Hm.

Er...

Phineas, may I speak plainly?

You usually do, Lady Glen.

Very well. Hm?

Madame Max likes you, you like Madame Max,

you need money
and Madame Max has enough for two.

I'll confess I'm fond of Madame Max,
Lady Glen, but beyond that...

Oh, Mr Finn, make an effort.

One cannot always command one's heart.

Don'! I know it.

But I also know that Violet has said no to you.

So, don'! go on pining. Life goes on.

A very pretty sight,
as long as it's my son walking between them.

Oh, y, Mr Finn,
you and Madame Max would make each other,

and your friends, very happy.

Predictions of happiness, Lady Glen,

are notoriously fallible.

Excuse me, Lady Glen.

Hey-ho.

Well, old fellow, how long 'rt seems
since last we met.

Y, IL has been a long time.

I've missed you, Phineas.
An under-secretary now, they tell me.

I'm glad that our little affair
had no adverse effects on the politicians.

Tell me, does my father know about it?

No.

Well, he's bound to find out in time.

But Laura says he'll forgive you

ifthings go right for me.

How do we stand about that?

Violet has refused me...

as far as I'm oonoemed, she's yours.

If I can get her.

You've seen Laura? How is she?

Not seen her, heard from her.

She was invited down here,
you know, of course, with Kennedy,

but he refused and hauled her off to Loughlinter.

There'll be no party there this winter, I think.

No.

How Laura will bear the winter in Loughlinter

I do not know.

Maybe Violet will go to her.

Phineas, it is not Violet,

it is no woman that Laura needs.

Laura?

You will come back to the house with me?

My wife.

Mr Finn.

I wonder if I may say something to you.

You may say anything to me.

There are some things
that are not very easy to say here in England.

The English have so many taboos.

Ah, but I am Irish.

Precisely.

And you are about to take up
the cause of your countrymen,

which could cost you your office.

Mr Finn...

Chance has given me great wealth.

If ever you should need any of it,

you have only to ask me.

I want nothing in return.

The offer from you...

is as generous...

as its acceptance by me would be vile.

I think he wants you to leave us.

Madam.

You must leave here tomorrow

and the summer is nearly done.

- You'll be going abroad soon, I think.
- Yes, Duke, to Vienna.

Ah.

Do not mind Vienna this year, come to Italy.

But I have business in Austria, Duke.

And you have underlings to conduct it.

Marie, you know I have a villa by Lake Como.

The lakes are very beautiful in the autumn.

It would give me so much pleasure
to show them to you.

But I know them well, Duke.

When I was young,
I was on Lake Maggiore almost alone.

One day I will tell you a history
ofwhat I was in those days.

Ah-ha.

You can tell it to me there.

But I have no house there, Duke.

Oh, you would stay in my house, Marie.

No, Duke.

It beholds me to stay in my own house.

Only women of whom much more or much less
is known can afford to be your guests.

I should have no other guests but you, Marie.

No, Duke, it cannot be.

- Why not?
- Why not?

Because the world would say
that the Duke of Omnium has a new mistress

and her name is Marie Goesler.

I know of a man who will be very lonely
in his villa by Lake Como this autumn.

And I know of a lady
who will be very lonely in Vienna this autumn.

Well, may the lonely man at Como
write to the lonely lady in Vienna?

If he will.

And what shall he write to her?

That is as his Grace shall please.

But I think he already knows
it will be of no use to send for her

for his light entertainment.

A very good evening to you, my Lord Duke.